Energy absorbing highway barrier

ABSTRACT

A SERIES OF ALIGNED POSTS PIVOTALLY ANCHORED BY ENERGY ABSORPTION DEVICES ALONG A ROADWAY, A LENGTH OF CABLE SUPPORTED IN SLIDEWAYS ON THE POSTS AND ENERGY ABSORPTION DEVICES LOCATED AT SELECTED POINTS ALONG THE CABLE WHEREBY ON RECEIVING THE IMPACT OF AN AUTOMOBILE OR THE LIKE,   THE ENERGY IMPARTED TO THE CABLE AND POSTS IS ABSORBED BY THE ENERGY ABSORPTION DEVICES.

Feb. 20, 1973 A. F. LEACH ETAL 3,717,326

ENERGY ABSORBING HIGHWAY BARRIER Filed July 12, 1971 l/vwwrdtf Ausm/ E LEACH smear KABL 544105526 WILLIAM F PERSON 0/ EOBEET L. LMRKIUETOU United States Patent 3,717,326 ENERGY ABSORBING HIGHWAY BARRIER Austin F. Leach, Portland, Gary Karl Sandberg, Aloha, and William F. Pierson, Oregon City, 0reg., assignors to Omark Industries, Inc., Portland, Oreg.

Filed July 12, 1971, Ser. No. 161,573 Int. Cl. EOlf /00 US. Cl. 256- 131 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A series of aligned posts pivotally anchored by energy absorption devices along a roadway, a length of cable supported in slideways on the posts and energy absorption devices located at selected points along the cable whereby on receiving the impact of an automobile or the like, the energy imparted to the cable and posts is absorbed by the energy absorption devices.

This invention relates to highway barriers, and particularly barriers such as used on center strips of freeways and otherwise along the side of high speed roads to restrain vehicles errantly running off the roadway.

The use of highway barriers is old in the art. In more recent years such highway barriers have been constructed so as to give upon being struck by a high speed vehicle for minimizing the injury to driver and passengers. Such types of barriers include cables and cyclone type fences and the like. In striking such a fence, a vehicle can displace the fence several feet before being stopped. One problem with such a barrier is that once struck by an automobile, a portion of the barrier is damaged, making it necesary for a repair crew to go out to the site for sub stantial and costly repairs. Also the degree of absorption is not reliable and injury to vehicle passengers is not optimumly avoided. It is common knowledge that a need exists for barriers that can be eflicient and reliable in its absorption of the impact of automobiles without the subsequent requirement of expensive and time consuming repairs.

The present invention is believed to satisfy this need for reliable, inexpensive and easily repairable barriers by providing within the barrier, energy absorption devices which will absorb the force of an impacting vehicle. These devices can be easily replaced to return the barrier to its original condition. In the preferred embodiment such a barrier includes an energy absorption device wherein a cable is strung through upright posts. At intervals the cable is interrupted by a device which includes a bolt and die arrangement. (As used herein, bolt means a shaft or rod having means for being interconnected with a member other than the die.) Upon the cable being struck, the bolt is forced through the die thereby absorbing energy by the deformation of metal in a manner similar to a wire drawing process. Energy absorption devices are also provided in the mechanism which anchors the posts to the ground. Thus, as the force against the cable urges bending and displacement of the posts, a bolt is drawn through a die and energy absorbed thereby. Repair of the barrier is accomplished by merely unfastening the bolt which has been drawn through the die (and thereby reduced in diameter) and replacing it with a new bolt. This requires but a minimum of servicing time and a relatively inexpensive replacement of parts.

The invention will be further understood and its advantages will be more apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a roadway with a barrier such as generally described above placed therealong;

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 illustrating in enlarged view a section of the barrier;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on section lines 33 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 illustrates an energy absorption device as shown in FIG. 2 after being drawn, and

FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention which includes a plurality of cable strands for increased utilization of the energy absorption devices.

Referring to the drawings, a barrier in accordance with the present invention is illustrated along the side of a roadway 10 which it will be understood is intended to restrain vehicles errantly driven off the roadway. The barrier includes posts 14 pivotally anchored by mechanism 16, interspersed with posts 17 restricted against pivoting but otherwise anchored by mechanism 18. Such mechanisms 16 and 18 will be further described hereafter. As shown in FIG. 2 a cable 20 is supported on the posts by being passed through loops 21. Located at spaced points along the cable are energy absorption devices 22. As most clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the energy absorption devices 22 includes a housing 24 having a die 26. A bolt 28 includes a portion 30 of small cross section, a portion 32 of larger cross section, and a tapered portion 34 intermediate the larger and smaller portions. The small portion of the bolt is passed through the die 26 of the housing 24 and is interconnected with the cable end 36 as shown. The housing 24 is threaded at its end opposite the die 26 to receive a connector 40 securely fastened to cable end 39.

As shown in FIG, 2 the posts 14 are pro-vided with a die insert 42 and captured within the post is a bolt 44. Bolt 44 is similar to bolt 28 and has a small portion 46 (extended through the die 42), a tapered portion 48 and a larger portion 50. The end of the small portion 46 is pivotally connected by connector 62 to a ground anchor 54. Post 17 also contains a die insert 56 but is dilferentiated from post 14 by its side wall extending to and abutted against a ground anchor 58. A bolt 60 is fastened through a pivotal connector 68 to the ground anchor 58.

In operation the barrier is maintained in upright position by reason of the side wall of posts 17 being firmly held against the ground anchors 58. Connector 68 does not itself revent pivoting, except that such pivoting cannot occur without elongation of the connector, and thus tipping the post is accomplished only by a force sufficient to draw the bolt 60 through die 56. A vehicle striking the barrier at any point will urge tipping and displacement of the posts 14 and 17 and stretching of the cable 20. However, the energy absorption devices are designed so that before damaging the posts, cable or connectors, bolts 32, 50 and 64 are forced through die members 26, 42 and 56 respectively. The effect of the bolt being forced through the dies is illustrated in FIG. 4. A flange 70 on the end of bolt 28 prevents the bolt from being pulled completely through the dies. This enables full utilization of all the energy absorption devices before the cable separates, Although not shown, it will be understood that a similar limiting flange or stop can be provided on the bolts 44 and 60.

FIG. 5 merely illustrates how several strands of cable can be used to maximize the elfectiveness of the barrier. However, it is to be understood that many other variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore the scope of the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments illustrated, but encompass all variations satisfying the definition of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A roadway barrier comprising posts anchored along a roadway, a cable suported by the posts, and energy absorption devices forming sections of the cable, said devices comprised of a die member including a die opening fastened to a cable end, a bolt having a first portion of reduced cross section inserted through the die opening and a second portion of larger cross section than the die opening that restricts free passage of the bolt therethrough, said first portion fastened to another cable end on the side of the die opening opposite the second portion of the bolt, said second portion of the bolt adapted to be drawn through the die opening reducing the cross section thereof when sufiicient drawing force is imparted on the cable.

2. A roadway barrier as defined in claim 1 wherein the bolt has a stop means preventing the bolt from being drawn completely through the die opening.

3. A roadway barrier comprising posts anchored along a roadway, a cable supported by the posts, and energy absorption devices forming sections of the cable, said devices permitting elongation of the cable length upon impact of a vehicle whereby the energy imparted by the impact is absorbed during such elongation, said posts are anchored along the roadway by anchor means including a die member having a die opening fastened to the bottom of the post, a bolt having a first portion of reduced cross section inserted through the die opening and pivotally fastened at its free end to a ground anchor, a second portion of larger cross section on the side of the die opening opposite the ground achor connection, said second portion being larger than the die opening and adapted to be drawn therethrough as the post is subjected to severe forces.

4. A roadway barrier as defined in claim 3 wherein the bolt has a stop means preventing the bolt from being drawn completely through the die opening.

References, Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,857,435 5/1932 Cole 256-l3.1 1,877,074 9/1932 Stanziale 25613.1 UX 2,121,379 6/1938 Young 256--l3.1 X 2,128,294 8/1938 Gage 25613.1 UX 2,139,642 12/1938 Osolin 256131 X 2,997,325 8/1961 Peterson 114219 X 3,082,994 3/1963 Rasmussen 25613.1 3,185,445 5/1965 Broadway 25613.1 3,351,322 11/1967 Mueller 256-l3.1 3,552,698 1/1971 Kinney 25613.1 X 2,615,373 10/1952 Pegard 1881 UX FOREIGN PATENTS 291,261 6/1965 Netherlands 25613.1 1,103,873 2/1968 Great Britain 256-13.1

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R. 2561; 941.5 

